Indigenous Technological Capability versus Apartheid: A Case Study.

Over the past few years the achievements of Bhekuzulu High School have baffled the South African government. It is a black school in South Africa run by black anti-apartheid activists determined to disprove the notion that blacks are educationally inferior to whites. In this they seem to succeed. The latest national examination statistics indicated that Bhekuzulu outshone the majority of white schools in South Africa. Whereas the pass rate for black South Africans annually sitting for the School Leaving Certificate hovers around 50% (compared to about 97% for whites), the pass rate at Bhekuzulu was 100%. But, more importantly, while the average percentage of black candidates who qualify for university entrance is about 13% (compared to 35% for whites), Bhekuzulu last year achieved a record when 97% of its candidates qualified for university entrance. And, according to Bhekuzulu's headmaster, "This is just the beginning. We intend to become the top school in South Africa". What makes Bhekuzulu particularly interesting is that its academic successes were accomplished with minimal financial assistance from outsiders and parents. It is an economi